8 Weird Workplace Dangers Nurses Have to Deal With

If you’ve ever watched So You Think You Can Dance, you’ve probably realized you can’t do it that well after all. So You Think You Can Pilot a Space Shuttle? Not even a real show, but if it were, chances are you couldn’t do that, either — though it would make for compelling reality television.

How about a show called So You Think You Can Be a Nurse? If you’re a medical professional, you’re probably thinking, “I’ve so got this.” Unfortunately, no such show is coming to TLC anytime soon — you’re stuck with dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and Saving Hope for now (as juicy as they are) — but you’re not alone if you sometimes think, “How am I even coping?”

What is a nurse to do with this danger? Put on her best armor, of course.

Skip the scrubs — it’s time to party like it’s 500 B.C. You need to get medieval on your patients, even if you look like a gladiator. Worst case scenario? You’ll appear as a “knight in shining armor.” Literally.

If only your hospital administrator would approve this new uniform policy. For now, you’re “stuck” — pun intended — wearing your scrubs and being extra-cautious when it comes to handling needles. Someday, maybe, your hospital administrator will let you wear some metal and re-enact the Middle Ages at the same time.

2. Infection From Body Secretions

You know that urine sample you just asked your new patient to provide? Treat it like a bomb.

No, it’s not going to blow up on you — hopefully — but it’s a bodily fluid capable of transmitting infection if you’re not careful. If you’ve been in the business long enough, you’ve probably also dealt with blood, semen and vaginal fluids. All of these put you at risk of exposure to hepatitis C (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other diseases.

3. Smoke Plume

Remember your high school chemistry classes? Benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and the rest of those fancy names? You probably can’t name them all, but they create toxic gasses that are harmful to your own respiratory system when you’re exposed to them.

If you spend any time in an operating room, you’re especially at risk of exposure to surgical smoke. Wear the mask now, whether it’s made of the traditional procedure fabric or even the gorilla-themed plastic you put on during last October’s crazy party. Just make sure you do what you can to make sure you’re breathing in oxygen, not noxious fumes.

4. Aching Feet

You’re familiar with the Billy Ray Cyrus song, “Achy Breaky Heart.” But what about those achy breaky feet you know so well?

ADVERTISEMENTS

As a nurse, you’re sick of hearing cubicle monkeys complain about eight hours of sitting in front of a computer. You’re on your feet all day, often for 12-hour shifts, multiple days in a row. If anyone has the right to complain, it’s you!

Nurseslabs.com is an education and nursing lifestyle website geared towards helping student nurses and registered nurses with knowledge for the progression and empowerment of their nursing careers. Since we started in 2010, Nurseslabs has become one of the most trusted nursing sites helping thousands of aspiring nurses achieve their goals. Our ultimate goal is to help address the nursing shortage by inspiring aspiring nurses that a career in nursing is an excellent choice, guiding students to become RNs, and for the working nurse – helping them achieve success in their careers!